World Cup 2026: How Thomas Tuchel is still searching for solutions out wide – Alan Shearer

Maybe we haven’t seen as much from every part of Tuchel’s team as we’d like, but we still know we can rely on our big-hitters to step up and produce something brilliant to change the course of the game.

Ideally, we wouldn’t be relying on someone to get us a goal out of nothing, like Jude Bellingham did when he turned in Saka’s corner against Panama.

I’d prefer it if our system was providing us with a platform for creating lots of chances in open play, but there are going to be times like that in every game where things are not working for you.

It is not as if we were looking dangerous before we scored, but we already knew how important set-pieces are and it’s certainly not a bad thing to have big players you can rely on to provide a magic moment like that when the team needs it.

It wasn’t even a particularly good ball in, but Bellingham made it into one. Say what you like about the defending, but it was still impressive how he got on the end of it, showing his strength, balance and skill. After he scored, there was only going to be one winner.

DR Congo are likely to set up like Ghana and Panama, by defending in numbers and looking to hit us on the break. Again, the challenge will be to break them down – and it’s a chance to show what we have learned.

Part of that might be as simple as the way we put the ball into the opposition area.

As I said when I was covering the Panama game for Radio 5 Live, we had our wingers, Marcus Rashford and Saka, cutting inside to putting inswinging balls in – Rashford with his right foot from the left and vice versa with Saka from the left – which are easier for defenders to clear.

We look more dangerous when they go on the outside then put crosses in, like Bellingham did for Kane’s goal. That way, the forward can make his run once he knows it is coming, and attack the ball.